Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[jakeseven7]

A

Just because National Cabinet agrees on something, doesn't mean the states will stick to it. We've seen plenty of evidence of that.

Agreed, why WA is even still invited baffles me

 

[Pushka]

I do wonder whether Victoria's interest in this end to end process review of returning Aussies and the UK strain is seeking stricter measures on international crew testing/quarantine that no other State seems to be keen to implement.

The SA Premier suggested exactly this several weeks ago but no other state would approve.

 

[drron]

The UK and SA mutations are not the only ones out there.An earlier mutation from Spain as well.A couple of short articles.But it does not appear they cause more severe disease.

Welcome to Precision Vaccinations News

Precision Vaccinations News publishes vaccine news patients can trust to make informed immunization decisions in partnership with doctors, nurses, and pharmacists.

www.coronavirustoday.com

Welcome to Precision Vaccinations News

Precision Vaccinations News publishes vaccine news patients can trust to make informed immunization decisions in partnership with doctors, nurses, and pharmacists.

www.coronavirustoday.com

 

[Flashback]

The UK and SA mutations are not the only ones out there.An earlier mutation from Spain as well.A couple of short articles.But it does not appear they cause more severe disease.

Welcome to Precision Vaccinations News

Precision Vaccinations News publishes vaccine news patients can trust to make informed immunization decisions in partnership with doctors, nurses, and pharmacists.

www.coronavirustoday.com

Welcome to Precision Vaccinations News

Precision Vaccinations News publishes vaccine news patients can trust to make informed immunization decisions in partnership with doctors, nurses, and pharmacists.

www.coronavirustoday.com

Ahh, the good old Spanish flu

 

[jase05]

The QLD cleaner has been confirmed as having the UK strain

Queensland quarantine hotel worker confirmed to have more infectious UK strain of coronavirus

A cleaner who tested positive to coronavirus after working in a quarantine hotel in Brisbane is confirmed as having the more contagious UK strain of the virus, Queensland Health says.

www.abc.net.au

 

[lovetravellingoz]

The QLD cleaner has been confirmed as having the UK strain

Queensland quarantine hotel worker confirmed to have more infectious UK strain of coronavirus

A cleaner who tested positive to coronavirus after working in a quarantine hotel in Brisbane is confirmed as having the more contagious UK strain of the virus, Queensland Health says.

www.abc.net.au

Thanks for the link.

I note:

​

Earlier today, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the woman, who is from the southern Brisbane suburb of Algester, developed symptoms yesterday and was tested on the same day.​

Health authorities said the woman is believed to have been in the community while infectious for five days and worked a shift as a casual cleaner at the Hotel Grand Chancellor in Brisbane's CBD on January 2.​

​

It came after she received a negative result on December 29 as part of routine weekly testing.​

​

So good that regular testing was in place, though daily testing may have reduced the number of days that she was infectious in the community.

 

[hydrabyss]

Thanks for the link.

I note:

​

Earlier today, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the woman, who is from the southern Brisbane suburb of Algester, developed symptoms yesterday and was tested on the same day.​

Health authorities said the woman is believed to have been in the community while infectious for five days and worked a shift as a casual cleaner at the Hotel Grand Chancellor in Brisbane's CBD on January 2.​

​

It came after she received a negative result on December 29 as part of routine weekly testing.​

​

So good that regular testing was in place, though daily testing may have reduced the number of days that she was infectious in the community.

Does this mean those areas will be required to wear masks and potential lockdown.

 

[Lynda2475]

Vic arent the only state that tests foreign flight crews, NSW kicked it off after the LaTam breach when they removed their ability for international crews to choose where to self isolate and forced them into one of two supervised hotels.

What is different is that in NSW (and other states excluding Vic) if crew are positive we let them fly home (albeit without passengers and with covid safe transfer to airport) whereas Vic force them into medi hotel for 14 days.

Some airlines (particularly the US airlines who guarantee their crew treatment in the USA) wont fly into MEL becuase of risk their crew will be detained and therefore they wont have crew needed for return flight.

If Vic try to force all other states to adopt this practice, then highly likely more airlines will cease flying into Aus, which will force Feds to sponsor more QF repatriation flights as there will be fewer commercial options into Aus.

Most states have or are already in process of implementing more frequent testing of HQ staff, transport drivers and airport staff.

I was surprised that Qld are using casuals in HQ, I womder if the cl3aner was properly trained, i thought permanent security, medical and cleaning crews were now the norm.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Does this mean those areas will be required to wear masks and potential lockdown.

No idea as would it depend on what Qld wants to do, and what the movements of the person has been. if it was me then yes

You would however think that if they have been out while infectious then wearing masks in the region/s that she has been in would be prudent and especially as this virus strain is meant to be more transmissible.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

If Vic try to force all other states to adopt ......

You really need to get over this. Vic is not trying to force any other State or Territory to do anything except the current domestic border arrangements.

Vic does have the legislative means nor do they have an Air Force, Army etc to impose its will. Victoria's last navy ship the HMVS Cerberus is beached at Half Moon Bay.

Vic is not going to force any state to do anything. Nor would other states do something just because Victoria demands it.
They may suggest what they would like, and indeed have suggested a national approach that they desire on several things, but many controls are either up to each state or the Federal Gov for others.

However sometimes one state's choice may give another state no choice though as they will be affected anyway. ie Vic saying no to NZ flights, but with other States saying yes, it gained NZ arrivals anyway.

 

[hydrabyss]

No idea as would it depend on what Qld wants to do, and what the movements of the person has been. if it was me then yes

You would however think that if they have been out while infectious then wearing masks in the region/s that she has been in would be prudent and especially as this virus strain is meant to be more transmissible.

You would think masks would be a huge help in preventing any further spreading although I have not had much of a read on what the UK is like other than the long lockdowns they are facing in the future. I know if I lived in the area I would be wearing one, especially as 5 days is a long time to be out and about and that's before you realise its suppose to be more transmissible than we are used to.

 

[Lynda2475]

So personally I believe that Prof Chen is someone worth listening to and take note of his views on Covid 19 and vaccines

And your entitled to that opinion.

I've only heard him speak a few times at Vic pressers over the last 2 weeks, he is not a confident public speaker, almost every second word is "um", which makes him very difficult to listen to for any sustained period of time (he needs some media training if he is going to do regular preseers). He may have great qualifications but he works for Andrews so i feel he is not as independent as he should be, and gives Vic 2 seats at the table.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

And your entitled to that opinion.

I've only heard him speak a few times at Vic pressers over the last 2 weeks, he is not a confident public speaker, almost every second word is "um", which makes him very difficult to listen to for any sustained period of time (he needs some media trwining for sure). He may have great qualifications but he works for Andrews so i feel he is not as independent as he should be, and gives Vic 2 seats at the table.

Wow oh Wow! Your post is repugnant on just so many levels.

2 seats at the table? The Feds invited before Dan did because he is very good at what he does. Works for Andrews ? Maybe look at all of his positions rather than one he has taken due to the crisis. Professionals do have ethics you know.

World leading expert, but lets ignore him because he is not a polished public speaker! Obviously to be a polished speaker is more important that the ability to have wiped our Victoria's second wave.

Maybe check out his CV before sledging such a guy?

With an opinion like that I will cease replying to any further posts by yourself.

 

[Lynda2475]

You really need to get over this

You need to stop exagerating what i say, seriously no idea why your brought up armies etc.

Vic is absolutely trying to steer the other states to adopt what they are doing or want to do. Part of the reason Vic closed NSW border to regional NSW despite not remotely meeting any definition of hotspot was to force NSWs hand on masks.

I remain sceptical of the motivation (often political or just easier) of some suggestions and policies. I find it incredibly sad that states think its ok to lock out their own residents instead of coming up with practical solution to get them home from interstate or overseas in a safe and timely manner.

 

[drron]

And your entitled to that opinion.

I've only heard him speak a few times at Vic pressers over the last 2 weeks, he is not a confident public speaker, almost every second word is "um", which makes him very difficult to listen to for any sustained period of time (he needs some media training if he is going to do regular preseers). He may have great qualifications but he works for Andrews so i feel he is not as independent as he should be, and gives Vic 2 seats at the table.

He is a well known epidemiologist and a Clinician having a clinical position at Monash University.
He was co opted to the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee in january 2020 as he has worked with Prof Kelly now the Commonwealth CMO on flu epidemics.He is also,or was,the Chairman of the TGA Committee on vaccines..He was sent to the Victorian DHHS as a deputy CHO in July for obvious reasons.He is not Dan Andrews little boy.But he is a clinician and not used to press grillings.

"
Alongside his Monash/Alfred roles, Professor Cheng, a biostatistician as well as epidemiologist, is president of the Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases (ASID), chair of a Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) advisory committee for vaccines, and co-chair of a group that advises the federal government on immunisation.


Although he had been involved in the public health response on the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee since late January, he officially began his COVID role with the state government on 23 July, while Melbourne was in stage three lockdown, with only four legal reasons to leave home."

The ascension of Allen Cheng

When he volunteered to become one of the public faces of Victoria’s COVID-19 health response, Professor Allen Cheng’s life changed course dramatically, and accelerated.

lens.monash.edu

 

[Lynda2475]

World leading expert, but lets ignore him because he is not a polished public speaker! Obviously to be a polished speaker is more important that the ability to have wiped our Victoria's second wave

Please stop twisting my words, you are so intent on disagreeing with me you are reacting to things that were never said.

I never said ignore him because he is a poor speaker (or to ignore him at all). Ive never told anyone what to do, ive only expressed my opinion.

I do however think more people would pay more attention if his delivery improved. If you take on a media facing role it is important you develop skills in that area. Some people are better suited to research or writing policy than to presenting it.

I also think if recommendations were put forward independently direct to committee as an expert and not as Vic policies at Vic pressers first, they would be less politically tainted.

It is precisely because of the Victorian second wave that I critically question the wisdom of policies originating from any member of that team. I personally believe scepticism is healthy and blind trust is dangerous.

If we left policy entirely to Epidemiologists responses would be harsher, and economic consequences dire, we need to balance physical health risk, mental health and economic considerations otherwise you create other disasters to avoid one.

 

[jb747]

Some airlines (particularly the US airlines who guarantee their crew treatment in the USA) wont fly into MEL becuase of risk their crew will be detained and therefore they wont have crew needed for return flight.

Crewing is a furphy. If someone has Covid they are not fit to fly.

 

[dajop]

If Vic try to force all other states to adopt this practice, then highly likely more airlines will cease flying into Aus, which will force Feds to sponsor more QF repatriation flights as there will be fewer commercial options into Aus.

With a cap of somewhere in the order of 7,500 seats a week into Australia (it's hard to find the current figure), that means current capacity could easily be filled with an average of just 4 wide body flights a day to the whole of Australia. So if this eliminated half the flights into Australia, it would not change the number of available seats one iota - it might mean passengers per flight get increased from 40 to 80 so more economy seats could be available for sale compared to now. It just depends who stopped flying and where they came from.

 

[jakeseven7]

Part of the reason Vic closed NSW border to regional NSW despite not remotely meeting any definition of hotspot was to force NSWs hand on masks.

What..? lol.

That’s why they closed the border? Because VIC couldn’t make NSW manadate masks. Now I get it. Well VIC certainly won that battle!

Cool story bro

 

[Lynda2475]

It was widely reported last month that "Premier Dan Andrews said New South Wales' reluctance to enforce mask-wearing and tough restrictions made his decision to set up border checkpoints"and then close borders to all of NSW not just the hotspot of NB. He is now reconsidering opening to regional NSW (what were by his own states definition always green zones) because masks are now in play.

I didnt say it was the sole factor, but it was *part*, if NSW had mandated masks when Vic first started complaining about the lack of them (influence by media) Vic probably wouldnt have a hard border.